Wheel



July 15, 1941.

E. L. RIETZ WHEEL Filed April 15, 1939 Patented July15, 1941 TES PATENT Q F WHEEL Edward L. Riots, Riverside, 111.,

national Harvester Company,

New Jersey assignmto into?- a corporation of Application April 15,1939, Serial No. 268,113 (01. 9756) 9 Claims.

ticularly the invention contemplates the arrangement of a pair of such tires on a wheel so that the wheel may be used as a planter press-wheel having flexible tread portions. 1

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rubber tire having an annular sloping tread portion.

An important object is to provide an improved pressor covering-wheel structure having a pair of rubber tires mounted thereon in axially spaced relation, each the having an annular sloping tread portion. i

Another object is to provide a press-wheel structure having a unitary hub carrying a pair of wheel members adapted respectively to carry a pair of rubber tires.

These and other desirable objects are achieved in one preferred embodiment of the invention described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the improved wheel;

Figure 2 is a face view of the wheel; and,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of a conventional planter illustrating the mounting of the improved wheels thereon.

The planter chosen for the purpose of illustrartion is of conventional construction and is indicated in the drawing at it. The planter comprises the usual planter frame it which may be connected to a tractor or other vehicle. The frame iicarries a pair of transversely spaced hoppers it, from which seed is distributed in the well known manner along spaced rows A. The frame it is provided rearwardlyoi the hoppers i2 with a'pair of transversely spaced wheel-supporting structures it respectively aimed with the hoppers. Each supporting structure iii carries an axle it on which is journaled a pressor covering-wheel structure it. As the planter is moved forwardly over the ground, these wheels serve in the usual manner to press the soil at each side of the hills of planted seed respectively along the rows A.

Each improved wheel structure comprises, as best shown in Figure 1,, a unitary hub 56 Journaled on the axle it. The hub is provided with a. pair of axially spaced flanges H to each of which is secured a wheel member in the form of disks i8 having annular tire-carrying portions 19 disposed in axially spaced relation, leaving thereby an annular space between the wheel members. Each wheel member it carries in its annular tire-carrying portion, a flexible tire 2% which is preferably formed as a hollow rubber annulus having an annular sloping tread portion the section of a cone formed about an axis passing through the common center of the wheel and tire. The two tires are identical and are mounted symmetrically on the wheel structure with the sloping tread portions 2i sloping radially inwardly toward each other, the opposite inner walls of each tire being axially spaced apart.

Each tire-2t is provided with an inner tube 22 which may be omitted, if desired; The object of the wheel structure is to provide a press-wheel having the dual sloping tread portions 2! formed on the peripheries of a pair of axially spaced tires of the pneumatic or flexible type. The structure serves to provide an improved press-wheel which functions in a manner improved over that of the ordinary steel tiredpress-wheel. The rubber tires, beingfiexible, do not accumulate soil and are consequently substantially clean at all times during operation. The use of the rubber tires on the planter also permits the same to be operated eiliciently at higher speeds in accordance with the increased use of rubber tires and higher speeds in tractors and other draft vehicles.

As shown in Figure 1, the particular wheel structure chosen for the purpose of illustration includes .rthe wheel members it as being formed of two symmetrical disks it which are secured to the flange ill by a plurality of bolts 23. This construction permits easy removal of the tires 26 from. the wheel members it and each the may be readily removed by detaching the respeotive wheel member it and separating the disk parts it. This provision is desirable to cause of the increased depth of the side walls at the disk parts it that comprise the tire-carrying portion I9, these side walls being extended a considerable distance radially to afford comparative rigidity to the side walls of the respective tires 2b. This rigidity is desirable in maintaining proper alinement of the tires and for permitting flexibility of the tires in the annular portions comprising thesloping treads 2|.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the improved press-wheel structure is provided with dual symmetrical tread portions, each in the form of the section a cone converging inwardly toward an annular space between the treads. This annular space aids in keeping the flexible treads clean. I

It will, oi eoursebbeunderstood that various changes may be made in the iorm, details, ar-

rangement, and proportions oi the parts, without departing from the scope oi'the invention, which generally stated, consists in a rubber tire mounted on a wheel and. capable oi carrying out the objects above set forth, in the novel parts and combinations oi! parts disclosed and defined in the appended'claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A planter press-wheel comprising a wheel other'to adapt the wheel for operating over ground where'the ground suriac'e'andthe wheel 7 axis are non-parallel.

i 5. A wheel having dual pneumatic tires formed g respectively with annular sloping treads to adapt 'the wheel for operating over ground wheretho ground surface and the wheel axis are nonhaving a unitary hub structure, a pair of wheel members carried by the hub in axially spaced re-- lation, each member including an annular tirecarrying rim, and a pair 0! rubber tires carried respectively by the rims, each tire having an annular, sloping tread portion the section of a cone, said tires being respectively carried on the wheel members-with the tread portions sloping v parallel.

e. A rubber-tired wheel having a pair of axially spaced, symmetrical annular treads, each the section of a cone and converging inwardly to adapt the wheel for operating over ground where the ground surface and the wheel axis are nonparallel.

7. A rubber-tired wheel having a pair of annular,rubber tread portions disposed in axially spaced relation and having thereby an annular space therebetween, each tread being formed as y the section of a cone and sloped toward the an radially inwardly toward each other to adapt the treads for pressing opposite sides of planted hills.

2. A planter press-wheel comprising a wheel having a pair of axially spaced annular tirecarrying rims, and a pair of rubber tires carried respectively by said rims. each tire being formed with an annular sloping tread the section oi a cone, the tires being mounted on the rims with their treads sloping radially inwardly toward each other to adapt the treads tor pressing opposite sides of planted hills.

3. A rubber tired wheel comprising a wheel having a pair of axially spaced tire-carrying rims,

and a pair of tires formed 01' flexible material carried respectively by the rims, each tire being substantially hollow and having a sloping periphery to form an annular tread the section or a cone, said tires being mounted on the rims with their treads sloping radially inwardly toward each other to adapt the wheel for operating over ground where the ground surface and the wheel axis are non-parallel.

4. A rubber-tired wheel comprising a wheel and dual pneumatic rubber tires carried thereby, each,

tire having an annular sloping tread portion, said tires being mounted on the wheel with their treads sloping radially inwardly toward each the tires being mounted on the rims in axially spaced relation and having thereby, an annular space therebetween, the annular treads sloping toward said space to adapt the wheel for operating over ground where the ground surface and the wheel axis are non-parallel.

9. A rubber-tired press-wheel comprising a central wheel structure including a pair of an-' nular,v axially spaced tire-carrying rims, each rim including spaced, radially extending side walls providing a deep center well, and a pair oi. flexible tires carried respectively by the rim center wells, the side walls of each rim extending a considerable radial distance at the sides of the respective tire for increasing the rigidity oi the side portions oi! the tire, each tire being formed with an annular sloping tread portion of comparatively greater flexibility than the tire side portions, said tires being mounted in the rims with the tread portions sloping radially inwardly toward each other to adapt the treads for pressing opposite sides oi planted hills.

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